


Sapphire in a Sea of Sand

by hollywoodproblems



Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Ending Credits Setting, M/M, Master/Slave, Whipping, credits!AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-01-29
Updated: 2014-02-06
Packaged: 2018-01-10 11:22:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1159111
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hollywoodproblems/pseuds/hollywoodproblems
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>While parading through his kingdom, Sultan Rin Matsuoka meets a mysterious traveler that he cant seem to get off his mind. He wants to know who this man is, but perhaps Rin should really be asking himself who this man is becoming to him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story is intended to be my smut 'coming out' fic because I've never written smut before and I think its about damn time. Who better to help me out than the free! boys in a sexy Egyptian setting? I'm working my way up to it, so please be patient, and I hope you enjoy.

Gold bangles jingled against each other as the sultan lifted a hand, waving it half-heartedly at the screaming crowds around him, his other arm being used to prop up his chin. The crowd was undeterred by their idol’s bored expression, thousands of people lining the city streets to try and get a glimpse of his majesty’s royal caravan. He hated the crowd’s roar, the dust they kicked up, the heat they produced which in turn was producing beads of sweat on his forehead. It felt as though the procession was barely crawling along and he bared his sharp teeth in frustration, resisting the urge to lash out at the throne bearers carrying him. He may not be pleasant in the heat but he wasn’t cruel and he knew better than to make a spectacle in front of such a crowd, so with no little willpower he settled back against an ornate cushion and brushed the sticky red locks from his slick forehead.  
“Nitori.”  
He barked and moments later a head appeared near his feet, short legs working to keep up with his throne’s pace but expression no less enthusiastic.  
“Your Majesty?”  
The sultan barely met his slave’s eye, knowing how easy the young teen could work himself up if he got too much attention.  
“Water.”  
The slave flashed a smile- obviously delighted he already had what was needed with him- before lifting a leather canteen up to his master, who looked equally pleased. Nitori gave his master one more reverent look before disappearing to fall back into step behind the throne, leaving the red head to enjoy his drink.   
He lifted the leather bag to his lips, the cold beneath his fingertips only making him more eager for the water’s relief, but before he could quench his thirst a commotion in the streets caught his attention. He could see many people in the crowd rushing ahead of his throne and he leaned out from beneath his canopy to get a better look, but all he could see was a small crowd of people gathering around something on the road ahead. Suddenly curious, the red head stood and climbed down from his throne, the bearers squawking in surprise before quickly dropping to their knees before the king.   
He strode towards the commotion, the crowd around him reacting in surprise before each person began to drop to their knees.  
“Your Majesty, are you sure this is wise?”  
A young brunette fell into stride beside him, looking concerned. The sultan shot his advisor a look, not breaking pace.  
“Why not? This is the most interesting thing that has happened all day.”  
The advisor still looked uneasy but fell silent, seeing that his master was too curious to stop now.  
The crowd surrounding the disturbance had all backed away when they saw their idol approaching, revealing a young man collapsed on the ground. He was wrapped in dark clothe all over his body but covered in sand, the headdress pulled back from his face to reveal pale skin and cracked lips.  
“He must be from very far away…”  
The advisor knelt beside the traveler, hands trailing questioningly over the foreign linens and gold pieces the man bore. The sultan furrowed his brow, eyeing the man tentatively.  
“Is he awake, Makoto?”  
“I don’t think-“  
Suddenly the travelers eyes cracked open to reveal deep pools of blue, half-lidded and barely alert, deep-set sapphires in a sea of sand and sun-kissed skin. The king was mesmerized by the sudden color but the gaze was not returned, the traveler’s eyes locking instead on the canteen still clutched in the red head’s hand.  
“Your water…”  
His voice croaked, Makoto stepping back in surprise to stand beside his master. The sapphires finally raised to lock with the sultan’s own, the pair having a staring match before the traveler finally croaked again  
“Give it to me…”  
The red head’s eyes widened, completely shocked. Something about the words really stirred him- this was the first time in his entire life he had ever received an order, and it was from this dirty vagabond lying in his street? He bared his teeth again, feeling furious but not fully understanding why. Those sapphire eyes were still watching him and it only pissed him off more, suddenly feeling like he should just gulp down all the water right there while the traveler watched.  
And yet… his curiosity was far from quenched now that he had seen this odd creature, the foreign garments and way of speak sparking several questions. The sultan eyed the traveler once more, taking in more slowly now his creamy skin and the dark locks poking out from beneath his headdress… the blue eyes hadn’t left his face yet, looking expectant. The red head gulped and turned away.  
“Makoto, have this man brought back to the palace and tended to.”  
The young advisor looked shocked by the request, and the young royal had to work hard to keep the pink out of his cheeks, feeling embarrassed by his request but not exactly sure why.  
“Bring him to the palace, your Majesty?”  
“You heard me, Makoto.”  
The sultan tossed over his shoulder, already on his way back to his throne, the surprised whisper of the crowd around him not helping his already irritated disposition. He settled back in his throne and crossed his arms, in a worse mood than when he had left it. How had this traveler gotten so easily under his skin? He obviously had come along way and was simply thirsty, so why had his words affected the young king so much? He cursed the stranger and his deep blue eyes, but he cursed himself even more for being so mesmerized by the pair of sapphires. He continued to wrestle with his emotions as the parade continued on, disgusted by the way the traveler had addressed him and mildly curious where he could have come down, but even deeper down and maybe not fully realized, pleased that the mysterious traveler had appeared.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The name of the king and the name of the foreigner are finally revealed as the young sultan interrogates the mystery foreigner. Also Gou makes an appearance <3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey friends, just a heads up I've been having some formatting issues with this chapter so I'm sorry if the spacing is a little weird. This chapter is a little long but it'll be smoother sailing after this- please look forward to the next few chapters cause I got big plans!

“I heard you made a scene on your way home yesterday, brother~…”

The young princess peeked at her brother over the back of the couch she had claimed, flashing an innocent grin when he shot her a look.

“Don’t listen to every silly rumor that breezes through the palace walls or you’ll go deaf, sister…”

He emphasized the last word to make his mocking clear before relaxing back in his own lounge chair, angled to face the large open balcony overlooking the kingdom. He frowned up at the evening sky- dark much too quickly, overcast with pregnant grey clouds. The young sultan sighed and stood, fiddling with the tassels that held back heavy curtains on either side of the balcony entrance and letting the ornate fabric fall forward to cover the opening. At his sister’s questioning look he simply replied, 

“It’s going to rain.”

The young princess sat up, looking surprised.

“Really? I hadn’t noticed!”

Then she pursed her lips, rising to her feet and eyeing him.

“Hey, wait a second, don’t try to change the subject on me! I heard you brought a stranger into the palace, is it true?”

She planted her hands on her hips, gold bracelets and bejeweled belts hung loosely around her waist adding jingle to the action. The sultan crossed his arms at his sister, saying firmly

“Yes, it’s true.”

Red eyes widened curiously, the princess firing questions quickly while her brother was serving up answers.

“Where is he from? Why did you bring him here?”

The red head frowned.

“He collapsed while my caravan was passing and his clothes and possessions all appeared foreign. I wanted to know where he had come from, so I had him brought back to the palace to be treated.”

The princess was looking suspicious but before she could further interrogate her brother, a meek voice called from the doorway

“Your majesty?”

The pair turned to watch Makoto enter the room, who bowed low and announced

“The foreigner is awake, sire.”

He paused to be sure he had the royalty’s attention before continuing

“We have thoroughly investigated his possessions but have found the craftsmanship to be completely unfamiliar. Additionally, the foreigner refuses to answer any questions about who he is, where he is from, or why he has travelled to your kingdom.” 

The sultan clenched his fists, trying to keep his anger out of his voice as he asked

“Is the man with you now?”

Makoto bowed his head, aware of how easily his master got worked up.

“Yes, my lord.”

“Perfect!”

The princess clapped her hands together, much more level headed than her short-tempered brother. She flashed a smile at the royal advisor.

“Bring the stranger in, Makoto. I’m excited to see him!”

She winked and the advisor looked flustered before quickly bowing out, her brother looking less than amused.

“Behave yourself, Gou, we don’t know who this foreigner is.”

She rolled her eyes as she reached up to let her veil fall over her face.

“Yeah, yeah… and it’s Kou!”

It was her brother’s turn to roll his eyes now, but he quickly gained his composure as Makoto re-entered, the foreigner in tow.  
The stranger padded in on thin sandals, eyes fixed on the stone floor; the action struck the young king as odd, guests of the palace usually never passing up an opportunity to ogle the expensive details of the royal building.

The foreigner came to a halt beside Makoto, lifting his gaze to reveal the same striking blue eyes behind dark locks. He looked different now, the sultan thought: healthier, more alert. His headdress was gone, along with his dark travelling cape and the few pieces of gold jewelry he had worn. He appeared before the royal family now in simple dark blue pants and a cream colored vest that hung loosely around his chest.

The sultan noted the arms and torso of the stranger were built and firm; he was built like a slave but the rest of his body language did not seem to be supportive of this idea. The foreigner was too alert, unafraid to look the royals in the eye, and he stood comfortably beside Makoto without hesitation or question of authority. The sultan also couldn’t help but note how unblemished the foreigner’s skin was- his muscles untouched by a whip and his wrists having never been chained.

Suddenly a pair of sapphire eyes pulled the sultan from his thoughts and he stared back into the dark pools a moment, the mystery of the man before him beginning to bug him like an itch. He slowly approached the man with crossed arms, standing tall as he circled the foreigner, who’s eyes followed him silently until the sultan disappeared behind him.

Once out of sight the young king came to a stop, casting an expression of disdain on the foreigner.

“Why do you not kneel before the king?”

He circled around to face the man, eyeing him distastefully. The sapphires still followed his every move.

“You are a king?”

His voice was quiet but not shy. The man was eyeing the red head curiously, seeming honestly surprised. He glanced away and continued more softly

“You don’t seem like one.”

The sultan was taken aback by the assertion a moment before he growled, baring his sharp teeth and roughly forcing the man to his knees before declaring

“I am Sultan Rin Matsuoka, my kingdom stretches as far as the sun shines! Do not mock me by pretending not to have heard my name! From where could you possibly be, to be so ignorant?”

The foreigner, although at first resistant at being thrown to the ground, now kneeled compliantly and silently. When Rin realized he would receive no answer he lunged forward and grabbed a fistful of hair, wrenching him up to meet his face.

“Answer me!”

“S-sire!”

Makoto appeared beside the man suddenly, hands up defensively, looking nervous to be interrupting yet desperate enough to speak up. Rin turned on him aggressively, not done with his investigation, but the advisor quickly continued

“I should have mentioned sooner- we found a strange dagger on this man when we searched him!” 

Makoto hastily produced the item and offered it to his master, who took it to turn in his hands curiously. The design was like none he had ever seen, the blade of the dagger made from silver and curved slightly like that of a sickle while the handle of the blade was thick and carved from ivory, intricate patterns engraved deep in the creamy material. Gou, who previously had been watching the scene unfold from the sidelines, now approached her brother to take a closer look at the foreign object, intrigued by its handiwork.

“What do you make of this, Makoto?”

Rin demanded, not wanting to be in the dark about this foreign man any longer. His advisor looked at a loss, shifting as he searched for an appropriate answer. Gou was leaning in closer to the dagger now, eyeing it carefully, whispering in recognition to herself

“That craftsmanship…”

With knowledge in her eyes she straightened suddenly, turning to approach the traveler. She was hesitant for a moment before leaning down close to him, arms crossed behind her back and head tilted curiously, and he slowly lifted his head to meet her gaze. They peered at each other intently, both with questioning looks, before clarity reached Gou’s ruby eyes.

“Why, he’s-“

The foreigner’s eyes became distressed a moment, a flash only she could notice, and it was enough to make Gou spin around to face her brother and announce with a grin

“He’s gorgeous!”

The sultan growled.

“Gou! If you’re going to act like this then leave this place!”

She began to protest before seeing how serious her brother was and turned with a pout to slink away, jingling gold announcing her exit. The young king sighed, pocketing the dagger to further examine before turning on the traveler again.

“What is your name, traveler?”

The question was simple enough, and Rin was surprised when without lifting his head a quiet voice replied

“You may call me Haru, if you wish.”

The way the foreigner talked down to him made Rin’s skin boil but he felt victorious for finally receiving a name, and he quickly continued the interrogation.

“Alright Haru, why have you traveled to my kingdom?”

Haru turned to stare at the curtains obscuring the balcony across the room, sapphire eyes following the thick fabric as it rustled slightly in the evening breeze. Rin ground his teeth as he waited for an answer, demanding less patiently

“Where are you from? Why have you traveled here?”

Haru’s gaze did not waver from the balcony, expression completely calm even as Rin lunged forward in his anger to roughly grab him by the vest.

“Do you forget your company? Do you forget that I am the king of this land and the fate of your life rests in my hands? If you ever want to leave this place then you will answer my questions!”

Wide, blue eyes looked innocently up at Rin, unafraid of his rage, and Haru stated simply

“It’s raining.”

The red head was surprised at the statement, his anger momentarily forgotten as he pondered why the foreigner would say such a thing when his life was in danger. Who was this man who acted and spoke like no other person Rin had met before? The young king was threatening his life but in reality there was no way he could have the traveler killed now, not with so many questions left unanswered. The sapphire blue eyes seemed to be haunting him, wide and innocent and unafraid, like a pool of water who’s surface never rippled. 

Rin harshly threw the man to the ground again, suddenly exhausted by the loops Haru had his thoughts running in. The dark haired man hit the stone and sucked in his breath painfully, Makoto taking a hasty step forward then freezing in place, unsure whether he should be helping the man. The sultan turned away, resisting the urge to rub his temple.

“No matter where he’s from, Haru is in my kingdom now and therefore under my rule. Until he decides to answer that which we have demanded of him he will be stripped of his belongings and become a slave of the royal palace.”

The red head hesitated, peeking over his shoulder at Makoto.

“Have him serve beside Nitori as my personal servant; I want to keep him close for observation.”

His stomach somersaulted at the lame excuse and Makoto shifted.

“My lord, are you sure it is wise to keep a stranger so close-“

“Just do as I say, Makoto.”

He was too tired to argue with his adviror, head spinning from all the unanswered questions, and he resisted the urge to look at the foreigner at his feet. Makoto nodded his head compliantly and helped Haru up, confirming he could walk before turning to lead him away. Rin stood in the silence a moment, letting the tension in his shoulders relax and trying to put thoughts of the foreigner out of his mind for the time being. Suddenly a rustle across the room caught his attention and slowly he crossed the stone floor to approach the balcony, taking a fistful of the heavy fabric in his hand and pulling it back. Outside, it was pouring rain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why has the foreigner Haru come to Rin's kingdom, and why cant Rin stop thinking about him! Coming soon, Rin has had enough of Haru's mind games and he finally takes some action. And keep an eye out for little Nitori! <3


End file.
